8 things only the best sales reps are willing to do differently

The best sales reps often have indefinable and multiple abilities that set them apart from their colleagues. These sales reps go beyond the call of duty, connecting easily with clients, quickly making the most of opportunities that come their way and effortlessly closing big deals. To put in simple words, here’s a list of 8 things that these sales reps do differently that put them in a league of their own:

Manage Their Time Efficiently

The biggest differentiating factor between good sales reps and the very best sales reps is simply time management. Time is always limited, and so the best reps make the most of every hour in the day, and always have a plan to win. They prioritise the best and most profitable leads first to improve the end results and maximise every minute of their time spent working each lead. They are always ready to answer tough questions and do what others won’t do in a day, just to close the deal.

Keep Their Stress Levels Under Control

Along with great time management comes less stress and day-to-day pressure. The top reps in sales aren’t the most stressed out – in fact, they’re usually calm, cool and collected. Because they’re so confident in their abilities, they simply don’t get as stressed out as other sales reps. This doesn’t mean the best sales reps never stress, they just manage their stress better, react positively to stressful situations work well under pressure.

Ask Effective and Challenging Questions

These sales reps don’t just talk, they listen. Great sales reps can ask the right questions at the right time, to draw out prospects, gain their trust, and find out the information needed to close the deal. Reps must know the right sequence of questions to ask to connect the value proposition of the product/service to the buyer’s specific pain points. Asking the right questions yields positive results and ultimately more sales for the business.

Understand Buying Processes

Asking the right questions leads to a better knowledge of every customer and their personal buying process. Great reps know their company’s sales process, but they really think about the sale from the buyer’s perspective. The best sales reps let the customers lead and guide them unobtrusively to the point that they’re ready to buy. Reps understand that some prospects need more time to evaluate a product, while others will buy very quickly. Their focus is the client’s needs, which is an essential approach to have when trying to secure a deal.

Compare and Contrast vs. Competitors

The very best reps don’t pull out a competitive comparison card during a call with a prospect – they already have the details memorised. The best reps not only know their own product thoroughly, but they also know the competition’s products in and out. They research their competitors extensively and are always looking out for emerging companies. This helps reps beat out the competition because they can easily point out flaws and weaknesses in a competitor’s product compared to their own.

Can Walk Away When Necessary

For the same reason top reps don’t waste any time, the best reps are willing to walk away from a prospective customer that isn’t a good fit. They can tell very quickly when a prospect isn’t going to convert and are confident enough to stop chasing that reluctant prospect. While this may seem risky to other reps who go after every single lead aggressively, it’s an incredibly smart move and a great life lesson – don’t flog a dead horse!

Never Stop Learning

They are always reading sales books, learning new skills, asking for coaching, and improving their own selling abilities. This inability to sit back and take a break means these sales reps are constantly striving and pushing themselves to improve. The best reps are never content with their current abilities but are committed to constantly learning more and upskilling themselves.

Have an Insatiable Drive to Win

The top sales reps in the world don’t just want to win; they need to win. The same drive that pushes these sales reps to constantly learn new selling skills is what pushes them to win the most deals and beat out everyone else. These reps are competitive people at heart. This innate ambition and need to win means they’re never happy unless they’re at the top of the sales leader-board.